Turning Interest into Action: ‘We See the Teacher in You’ Enters Phase 2

By Ines Bellina

April 28, 2026

Prospective teacher candidates at a GYO-IL recruitment event in 2025. Hosted by partner Truman College. Additional partner schools National Louis University, Chicago State University, University of Illinois-Chicago, and Illinois State University participated.

After successfully launching the ‘We See the Teacher in You’ recruitment and outreach campaign in early 2025, Grow Your Own Teachers Illinois (GYO-IL) is activating Phase 2: Engagement and Cultivation of its plan, which focuses on supporting prospective students to take the next step towards teaching.  

‘We See the Teacher in You’ campaign began with Phase 1: Launching the Invitation. This phase focused on expanding awareness of becoming a licensed classroom teacher in Illinois, encouraging prospective candidates to complete GYO-IL’s campaign referral form, and then connecting interested individuals with partner institutions. Through TV, radio, public transit, and social media advertisements, plus outreach from more than 50 community-based and higher-education partners, Phase 1 reached paraprofessionals, career changers, current college students, and other prospective candidates across the state. Once they submitted a referral form, GYO-IL’s automated matching system connected interested candidates directly with designated points of contact at partner university and community colleges.

Prospective teacher candidate chatting with a representative from Truman College at a GYO-IL recruitment event hosted by NEIU El Central Campus.

“We went into this campaign not knowing how many interested people we would get. Nearly 1,600 people completed our referral form," said Herman Reeves, Director of Teacher Marketing Recruitment. “There's this idea that folks of color are not interested in teaching and this campaign is showing that that's not true. If you give them a direct invitation, there is the desire to know more. In Phase 2, the main opportunities we want to capitalize on are engagement and cultivation.”

While the enthusiastic response to the campaign is a fantastic start to increasing the number of interested individuals, GYO-IL’s goal is to turn that interest into applications to teacher education programs. Prospective candidates usually face barriers that prevent them from applying. Many are unsure of what requirements they need to fulfill or if their previous academic or professional experience would count towards licensure. They are often juggling work and family responsibilities, and the prospect of adding coursework to their plates can be overwhelming. Unsurprisingly, financial considerations weigh heavy as well. 

To help interested candidates maintain momentum after completing the referral form, GYO-IL hired Ricardo Barrera as its Recruitment Liaison. Barrera provides the human follow-up behind the campaign, reaching out to prospective candidates individually to understand their goals, answer early questions, and help them see a possible path into teaching. He walks candidates through their educational options; connects them with advisors at partner colleges and universities who are prepared to support campaign referrals; and shares information about scholarships, grants, and other support that may help make teacher licensure more attainable. For some candidates, the conversation also includes exploring whether becoming a paraprofessional first could help them gain classroom experience and determine whether teaching is the right long-term path.

“Many attendees shared that they had thought about teaching for a long time, but needed help understanding the next steps. The campaign helped create a welcoming space where people could see that becoming a teacher is possible and that GYO-IL and our partners are here to support them through the process.”

“My task is to change the leads from an interested position to an action position,” explains Barrera. “I think the cultivation strategy that we've shifted to is really helping us connect with people who are ready,” says Barrera. “Cultivation is more about moving people a step forward.”

Given the growing number of leads, approaching 2,500 to date, GYO-IL also needed to find efficient ways to communicate with and support aspiring teachers in taking the next step. GYO-IL created and deployed an email and text automation system to keep prospective candidates engaged; answer common questions about affordability, feasibility and work-life balance; and guide them toward next-step resources and opportunities. Together with Ricardo Barrera’s individualized outreach, the automation system helps ensure candidates receive both timely information and human support as they explore becoming a teacher in Illinois. 

Phase 2: Engagement and Cultivation also brought together 15 of 22 higher education partners for five in-person collaborative recruitment events across Illinois. These events were hosted at Truman Community College, Northeastern Illinois University-El Centro Campus, John A. Logan Community College, Illinois State University and Northern Illinois University. The remaining participating institutions were National Louis University, University of Illinois Chicago, Oakton Community College, Elgin Community College, Rock Valley Community College, Waubonsee Community College, Western Illinois University, Southern Illinois University, Danville Community College, Richland Community College, and Eastern Illinois University. Seventy prospective students attended these events to chat about licensure pathways, program options, admissions steps, and financial support. “The overall vibe was very positive,” says Barrera. “Many attendees shared that they had thought about teaching for a long time, but needed help understanding the next steps. The campaign helped create a welcoming space where people could see that becoming a teacher is possible and that GYO-IL and our partners are here to support them through the process.”

Northeastern Illinois University representative discusses GYO-IL teacher education programs with a prospective teacher candidate at a GYO-IL recruitment event.

Additionally, GYO-IL is now creating recruitment videos with its higher education partners, starting with Truman College, Western Illinois University, and Northeastern Illinois University to help them build their capacity to engage underrepresented prospective students. Empowering institutional partners to reach underrepresented communities in a way that speaks directly to their needs and their experience is a point of pride for GYO-IL and the campaign. “Part of the success of Phase 1 was giving partners a toolkit that they could use in communities to recruit,” said Reeves. “We want to expand this toolkit. These institutional recruitment videos do that. We hope to do so with each partner.”

In short, Phase 2 reflects the campaign’s next critical move: turning broad interest into supported action. Through improved email and text automation, informative digital content, individualized outreach and follow up, and welcoming in-person events, GYO-IL is helping prospective candidates understand their options, stay connected, and take meaningful steps toward becoming teachers in Illinois. “Generating leads is great,” says Barrera. “But we also have to move those leads along so they can generate into applications, which generate into teachers, which generate into more representation within our communities.”

Prospective teacher candidates at John A. Logan sharing lunch at a GYO-IL recruitment event.